LEGAL PERSPECTIVE

In June 2013, UK newspaper The Guardian and its US peer The Washington Post broke a story that changed the world. Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden had revealed the scale of mass surveillance by the US National Security Agency [NSA]. GC speaks to Gill Phillips, The Guardian’s director of editorial legal services, about the legal implications of making the story public in the UK.

GC takes a look behind the company curtain in European countries where corporate counsel are denied the professional status and legal privilege afforded to private practice lawyers..

“Does the company lawyer hold a job or does he practise a profession?”

This is a question posed by Jacques Barthélémy of Cabinet Barthélémy Avocats in Paris. He is writing in the 2014 European Company Lawyers Association [ECLA] white paper, which calls for all in-house lawyers in Europe to be recognised as independent professionals – and afforded the legal privilege enjoyed by their peers in private practice.

PwC Legal is an LLP regulated by the SRA. IT is also part of the PwC Legal global network, which is one of the world's largest legal networks with 2,400 lawyers in over 85 countries. A key and unique differentiator is PwC Legal's locus within the PwC International network of firms. It was granted an ABS [Alternative Business Structure] licence in the UK in 2014.

PwC Legal has been busy. Since gaining ABS status early in 2014, the legal services arm of the professional services conglomerate has had its head down growing the brand. But this well-kept secret is planning to go from strength to strength.

Like many company lawyers you’re thinking about IP, but are you thinking about it in the right way? GC meets with IP expert Toe Su Aung to discuss what legal departments should be focusing on.

Intellectual property is a critical issue for every company these days, whether they’re looking at traditional IP issues like patents and copyright, or emerging IP issues around employee knowledge. However, one experienced in-house IP lawyer argues that companies are not doing enough to adopt a proactive position in protecting and advancing their IP rights. In fact, Toe Su Aung, who led corporate affairs and legal teams on IP protection and policy at British American Tobacco, feels so strongly about this that she has made it her business. Earlier this year, together with former Microsoft in-houser Chris Oldknow, she formed Elipe - a consultancy focusing on providing IP-related government relations and corporate affairs advice.